‘Civil war’ erupts in Russian Army as commanders ‘refuse Putin’s meat-grinder orders’

Splits in are deepening, as commanders increasingly refuse to carry out “suicidal” attacks – Ukrainian partisans have told the Express.

The Russian Army has suffered appalling casualties during almost three years of brutal fighting in .

Latest estimates indicate that the Russians have lost somewhere between 600,000 to 850,000 soldiers – a figure that includes both injured and dead.

have shown scant regard for the lives of their soldiers, often hurling them into kamikaze assaults against heavily fortified Ukrainian positions.

However, reports are emerging that an increasing number of senior officers are starting to defy orders as they become disillusioned with the tactics of the Russian military command.

The Crimean partisan group told the Express that they were seeing growing signs of rebellion among units operating in the Kherson region.

“The split deepens, and the closer to the front, the stronger,” they said.

“In the , for example, some commanders are really trying to avoid sending troops for an assault because due to the losses they have suffered, they no longer have anyone to staff their units.

“Of course, they fail to do this, so the soldiers at their level engage in sabotage – destroying their equipment in order to avoid following orders.”

Throughout the war, there have been constant reports of Russian soldiers killing themselves after being subjected to brutal treatment by their officers.

claims that some of the highest rates have been recorded in the occupied parts of Luhansk and Donetsk, part of the Donbas.

Artem Lysohor, head of ‘s Luhansk Regional Military Administration, said that a suicide occurred approximately every two days in 2024 in occupied Luhansk.

Atesh told the Express that their overall impression was that suicide rates were indeed on the rise.

“Without clear statistics, it is difficult to talk about this, but according to our feelings, cases of suicide are increasing. This is quite common during combat, especially in target areas where it is related to the morale of the soldiers.”

They added: “Russian commanders often mistreat their subordinates, using constant pressure, threats and beatings. Many soldiers are in the so-called ‘pits’ right on the positions, sitting there all day, after which some go crazy.”

The rebels noted that the recently dispatched a commission to the 1196th Motorised Rifle Regiment in the Kherson region to investigate a rise in suicides.

Mass desertions have plagued the Russian army as soldiers attempt to flee the carnage and slaughter on the frontlines.

A report by the independent Russian news outlet Vazhniy Istory claimed more than 1000 soldiers went AWOL from the 20th Motorised Rifle Division last spring.

, though, said desertions were becoming increasingly more challenging for Russian troops, given their fear of the horrific reprisals they face if caught.

“Russians are extremely afraid of their commanders,” they explained. “For them, escaping from a combat mission is more terrible than direct death while carrying out orders, because barrier troops are waiting for them or they are taken to ‘basement’ punishment cells where ‘educational conversations’ are held by special services and commanders.”

It is also almost impossible for the Russian soldiers to move away from the front line area once they are there.

A Ukrainian intelligence officer told the Express that the Russians have devised a system of checkpoints that keeps their soldiers penned in their zones.

“When they get into , there is a system of checkpoints all over the occupied territories. A simple soldier cannot even move between the checkpoints so he’s always inside his zone. He can’t move out,” he said.

“An officer can cross the checkpoint. A simple soldier has to have written permission so they get boxed in, and the system is set up to move them out to the front. Now, it’s really efficient.”